As of December 1, the streamer will only offer four interactive titles, choosing to focus on other tech development projects instead.
Kidscreen has confirmed that Netflix is removing almost all interactive programming from the platform -- including everything aimed at kids -- as it refocuses its tech development efforts in other areas.
All but four titles that let viewers choose the direction of the story to get to different endings will be removed from the viewing library by December 1, according to a Netflix spokesperson. After that date, only You vs. Wild, Ranveer vs. Wild with Bear Grylls, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend will remain in play, although they won't be supported with any updates going forward.
The streamer is also not planning to commission this kind of content anymore, even though interactive TV is a growing trend in the kids space due to its offer of a gamified user experience, repeat viewing and deeper engagement with stories and characters.
Having said that, the genre is facing a few obstacles, including a lack of distribution models. (In fact, Netflix was one of the few buyers that was hosting and commissioning interactive programming.) And producing this kind of content is also a lot of work.
Half-hour interactive specials typically require triple the volume of footage in order to give kids multiple paths to choose. DreamWorks Animation's Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous Adventure (pictured, 2022), for example, required close to 70 minutes of content, which is equivalent to three full episodes of Camp Cretaceous, according to executive producer Scott Kreamer.
As for Netflix's new tech development focus, GenAI games VP Mike Verdu -- who only announced his new position publicly this month -- unveiled the company's strategy of betting on AI-powered video games in a LinkedIn post yesterday. Verdu built Netflix Games as a VP, and is now working to figure out how the streamer can use AI and work with developers who are adopting it to make games faster and add new capabilities.
"Many view this technology with fear, but I am a game-maker at heart," says Verdu. "And I see its potential to unlock all of us, to create mind-blowing new experiences for players, to lift us to new heights."